Buddhist monks have set off on a trek across the country on foot that has drawn national attention as they travel from Fort Worth, Texas, to Washington, D.C., as a part of a monthslong journey they describe as a spiritual practice.

The more than 2,300-mile journey they have named the Huong Dao Vipassana Bhavana Center’s Walk for Peace began in late October and is estimated to conclude later this winter in the nation’s capital.

The walk, according to the group’s official page, is intended to promote peace, compassion and mindfulness during a time they say the country is marked by division and uncertainty.

“This is not a protest,” the monks say in public statements. “It is a spiritual practice.”

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The monks are affiliated with a Texas-based Buddhist meditation center.

They describe the walk as a moving meditation as they continue to pass through cities, small towns and rural communities across the U.S.

They have been greeted by supporters who have gathered along the route, walking short stretches with the group and offering food or simply observing quietly as they pass.

The Monks are keeping a blog that tracks their journey in real time. On the blog they say those who “visit the venerable monks along our path, we tie a blessing string around your wrist—a simple thread that carries profound meaning.”

According to the blog, the cord is a reminder and every time the wearer sees it, “in a moment of stress, during a difficult conversation, when patience feels impossible—it gently calls you back to the intention you set when you met us: to walk with us in spirit, to nourish peace, mindfulness, loving-kindness, and compassion in your daily life.”

 “It is a connection string between this journey and you, a tangible link that says: you are part of this walk for peace. We are walking together, always,” they write.

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In addition to the monks, Aloka, a rescue dog the monks refer to as the “Peace Dog,” has become an unexpected focal point of the journey.

During the journey, photos and videos are being shared online and show Aloka traveling along highways and sidewalks, resting during breaks and greeting supporters.

These special moments have helped the monks’ walk gain traction on social media, where their Facebook following recently surpassed 1 million followers.

Millions of supporters are sharing messages of encouragement and reflection in response to the journey.

“I am so inspired. Thank you — the United States so desperately needs this message,” one follower wrote.

Another supporter said the walk has had a personal impact on their daily life.

“Praying for you all each night. You have opened a light within me that makes me want to be a kinder, more peaceful person. I think now before speaking and have become more aware of my breathing,” the follower wrote. “Your trip has a lot of people thinking and restoring hope back in our country and peaceful thoughts throughout the day. It is simply wonderful, the journey you are on.”

Others said the message resonates with them during a turbulent period for the country.

“The message of peace is resonating with so many in America during these scary times,” another supporter commented.

So far, the Buddhist monks have made it across much of the country, prompting online searches and interest in the walk, the monks’ mission and their destination in Washington. The videos have circulated widely as the group continues eastward.

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They continue to emphasize that the walk is non-political and open to people of all backgrounds, describing peace as “not a destination, but a way of living.”

The monks say their message remains the same: peace begins with individual action — one step at a time.

Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico said during an interview posted Tuesday that the national party was “condescending” to people, and sometimes is “hostile” toward cultural issues in red states, specifically religion.

“I’m not an expert on the national Democratic Party, but I will say, just from my observations, being in a red state, someone who flipped a Trump district and was able to build this kind of coalition: Our national party is pretty condescending to people,” Talarico told The New York Times’ Ezra Klein, who asked the Senate candidate how the national party could appeal more to Texans.

Talarico, a state representative who is running against Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, in the Senate race, is a former middle school teacher and Presbyterian seminarian.

“You always hear this, especially if you are out on the coasts: Why do all these people vote against their material interests? You’ve heard that before, I’m sure. Such a condescending thing to say to somebody. It’s acting like they don’t know how to make decisions for their own lives, and they don’t know what they need,” he said.

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Talarico said people have interests outside their material interests, citing cultural, personal and spiritual interests.

“And the Democratic Party culturally, in many ways, has become hostile to some of these cultural values in red states and red communities — faith maybe being foremost among them,” he continued.

“I don’t agree with everyone who shares my faith. I don’t agree with every member of the body of Christ, but I am part of that body, and we share something deeper than partisanship. We share something deeper than public policy. We share a commitment, a witness, a practice, a tradition, and that is an opportunity for connection,” the candidate said.

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Podcast host Joe Rogan urged Talarico to run for president during an interview on Rogan’s show in July.

The Democratic state representative said shared faith can open doors for other conversations and said the party should focus on building relationships with people who aren’t necessarily supportive of the party.

“So I would just advocate for our party to think about how to actually build real relationships at scale with people who aren’t with us yet. Not only will that, I think, lead to winning, and we have a moral imperative to win in a democracy. Because if you don’t win, you don’t get power. And if you don’t get power, you can’t make people’s lives better,” he said.

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Crockett, Talarico’s chief opponent for the nomination, announced her Senate candidacy in December. 

Her campaign announcement included a video playing several soundbites of President Donald Trump attacking her. Crockett is one of the most outspoken members of Congress against Trump, who has carried Texas easily in all three of his White House races.

She has argued that she doesn’t need to win over supporters of Trump to win in Texas, which hasn’t elected a Democrat to statewide office in decades.

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“Our goal is to definitely talk to people. No, we don’t, we don’t need to. Our goal is to make sure that we can engage people that historically have not been talked to, because there’s so many people that get ignored, specifically in the state of Texas. Listen, the state of Texas is 61% people of color. We have a lot of good folks that we can talk to,” the lawmaker said in December.

Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons argued on Tuesday that federal immigration agents are facing “constant impediments” and “constant attacks” after video showed a suspected illegal migrant in San Antonio ramming cars in an attempt to flee.

The video shows the migrant in a car ramming into vehicles that were blocking them in from the front and the back, as the individual attempted to evade arrest.

During an appearance on Fox News’ “Hannity,” Lyons was asked if rhetoric from Democrats criticizing ICE can be tied to incidents like these.

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“When we hear elected officials calling upon individuals to impede or obstruct ICE law enforcement operations nationwide, you’re going to see incidents like this,” Lyons responded. “You saw the officers and agents attempting to apprehend a criminally illegal alien, and there they are using their car as a weapon.”

Lyons said one of the agents went to a hospital with neck injuries after their vehicle was struck in the incident.

“Every day, this is what the men and women of ICE are facing,” he claimed. “It’s constant impediments, constant attacks like this. And it’s not safe for my folks, it’s not safe for the public. It really needs to stop.”

He also purported that “criminal gangs” are organizing groups to impede or obstruct immigration enforcement operations.

“It’s a constitutional right to go out there and protest. But when you have organized criminal gangs, which these are, that are organizing these groups to, again, impede or obstruct law enforcement operations … that’s a criminal act. I will tell you that Homeland Security investigations, my folks, the FBI, we’re investigating these and people can be held accountable because you can’t organize groups to go out and impede law enforcement. It’s a criminal act, and we have to act swiftly to prevent this from spreading,” he said.

Lyons was also asked about recent comments from Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who vowed to prosecute any ICE agent who commits unlawful acts during operations in the city while stressing that his threat does not apply to “honest, decent, moral” agents.

“The men and women of ICE, the men and women of HSI, they’re not committing any crimes,” Lyons argued. “So he doesn’t have to worry about arresting any of my folks, because what we’re doing is we’re enforcing the law. We are out there every day making this nation and his city safe again. So he shouldn’t worry about the men and women of ICE. What he should worry about is the sanctuary policies that have these criminal aliens go back to his neighborhoods and commit heinous crimes like fentanyl trafficking, human trafficking, rape of a child. He should focus on those and let law enforcement do law enforcement work.”

PHOTOS RELEASED OF RENEE NICOLE GOOD, THE US CITIZEN KILLED BY ICE IN MINNESOTA

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This comes on the heels of a recent incident in Minnesota, where Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, was fatally shot by masked ICE agent Jonathan Ross, who fired into the driver’s windshield and open window from the side of the vehicle and subsequently exclaimed “f—ing b—-” as the car crashed into another parked vehicle.

Democrats and local residents have condemned the shooting as a murder and called for Ross’ prosecution, while the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers have defended the incident by arguing that it was a justified shooting.